Stranger in a Dream is a group of photographs based on my personal experiences using dreamlike imagery. Peering into a mirror, we see only what we choose, rather than what is actually there. I invite viewers to reflect upon their own personal experiences while confronting images of common objects that suggest stories. What sets my work apart from the Thai traditions of storytelling is that each object acts as a metaphor with multiple meanings. These include humor, sadness, entrapment, love or longing while referencing both the past and the present simultaneously.
I stage objects in natural light set in a dreamscape using the same camera and lens purchased 35 years ago. When shooting the photographs, the slightest shift in camera perspective reveal to or conceal from the viewer, differing sets of visual information. This set-up of found objects continues many of the ideas and themes from my previous work as a jeweler/sculptor. With a wink and a question, I seek a visual language that uses personal feelings to stimulate insights into hidden reality. Its important to consider what is real--not simply realistic--in a world full of ambiguous reflections.
Stephen Albair is an artist, teacher and lecturer. A transplant from NYC, he moved to San Francisco during the 90s. He has continued showing throughout the US while participating in the local art scene. Over the past 30 years photography has been an important component of his work in nearly 50 public exhibitions. Highlights of his teaching career include, Columbia University, The Chicago Art Institute and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. This is his first solo exhibition in Thailand.
Stephen Albair
San Francisco
www.stephenalbair.com
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